Chapter Thirty-Three: Standing Up

My jaw dropped at the absolute audacity that my mother had to ask me something so stupid and obvious. I didn't know what to say back. I knew my mother could be shallow and self-centered, but I couldn't believe that she was this ... Stupid. The only response that I could think of was something Molly was fond of saying when she thought no one was listening. Now that her phrase was rolling around in my head, I couldn't think of anything else. I opened my mouth to say something, anything other than the words in my head.

"You have got to be shitting me," spilled out of my mouth, no matter how hard I tried not to say it.

I slapped my hand over my mouth, unable to believe that those words had slipped out anyway.

"What?" Ingram shouted in horror.

"I-I mean. I don't know how you can't see what the problem is," I respoke, trying to pretend like I hadn't said anything else.